Iago's Triumph
by Blackford
Summary: Iago is forced to confront his past and save his friends from certain destruction. Can Jasmine help to give him the courage he needs to succeed?
1. Chapter 1

**Iago's Triumph**

_Characters (c) are owned by Walt Disney Corp._

The courtyard of the palace of Agrabah was alive with boisterous merriment as Aladdin and his friends engaged in a frolicsome game to pass away the afternoon. With the sun shining and the sky exhibiting a brilliant blue, it was a splendid day to enjoy the outdoors and to saunter among the lush palace gardens. Flora and greenery bristled from the lines of bushes and trees flourishing through the courtyard, and Aladdin and his companions punctuated the vibrancy of the background with their vigorous levity.

It was the Genie who had introduced the game in which the six comrades now found themselves engaged. Because he had the ability to see things from the future, the Genie had procured knowledge of an outdoor activity first devised in the late nineteenth century known as "volleyball." Although Aladdin and his other friends had never heard of this game—just as they never fully understood the references Genie frequently made to things from the future—they were more than willing to take part in this enjoyable pastime.

The gang of six had divided into two teams: Aladdin, Genie and Abu the Monkey formed one side, while Princess Jasmine, the Magic Carpet and Iago the Parrot comprised the other. Once Genie had provided the group with a ball and net, the volleyball game began in earnest. The ball rocketed back and forth across the net as the two teams tried to gain an advantage.

"Abu! I'm sending it to you!" Aladdin shouted as he bopped the volleyball over to Abu so that the monkey could hit it over the net. Abu executed the move, and the ball flew to the other side where Carpet was waiting for it. Carpet sent the ball flying back with a swipe from his tassel.

"Look alive, people! It's comin' right back at ya!" Genie enthused as he whacked the volleyball with considerable force. The impact of his hit made a loud thump as the ball sailed toward the net.

"You'll have to do better than that, Genie!" Jasmine said with a smile. She leaped up at the net as the volleyball flew over it and smacked the ball back with alacrity. At this point in the match, Aladdin's team was slightly ahead, helped no doubt by Genie's familiarity with the game, but Jasmine's team was catching up. The volleyball kept going back and forth until Jasmine bopped the ball over to Iago, who jumped up to spike it over the net. But when Iago spiked the ball, Abu moved quickly to deflect it, slamming it hard. Unfortunately, Abu hit the ball harder than he meant to; the ball sailed back and smacked Iago squarely in the front of his body and propelled him backwards through the air.

"Awwwwwk!" Iago screeched as the ball carried him into out-of-bounds territory and smashed him into the ground. Jasmine ran over to where Iago and the volleyball had landed and proceeded to move the ball over so that she could pull Iago out of the ground.

"Sorry, monkey boy," Genie said. "That one went way out of bounds. We can't count it."

"Jasmine!" Aladdin called out. "Is Iago alright?"

"Don't worry, I've got him," said Jasmine. She lifted the parrot from the imprint in the ground made by his crash landing and helped him to his feet.

"Hey monkey, what the heck's the matter with you?!" shouted Iago. "You trying to kill me or something?! I'll sue! I'm gonna call my lawyer, and then I'm gonna report you to the committee on sports safety, and then I'm gonna-!"

"Iago, calm down!" Jasmine said with a laugh. "It was an accident. And you're going to be just fine."

"Oh, that's easy for you to say," Iago said with a sarcastic roll of his eyes. "You never got bodily smashed by a rogue sphere. But when you're my size, it's like an avalanche decided to drop on ya! My little tiny body isn't exactly a slab of marble, okay?!"

"Hey bird man, are you calling a foul play or something?" called Genie.

"I should be calling _a whole lot of things_ 'foul' right about now!" Iago growled. "I don't know why I let you bozos talk me into this stupid game!"

"Iago, are you hurt anywhere?" asked Aladdin.

At this point, Iago's momentary flare of temper began to subside, as was typical with him. Taking a few deep breaths, the parrot regained his composure.

"No, no, Al. The princess is right; I'll live," he said. "Big objects bashing me around just put me in a bad mood, that's all."

"Well at least we know you're exactly the same as always," Aladdin chuckled.

Iago appeared slightly dazed. "Actually, Al, I have been having a different problem. It's those migraines I've been having lately; they're starting to act up again. I was starting to feel another headache coming on a few minutes ago."

Jasmine looked concerned. "Iago, maybe you should take a rest for a while."

Genie suddenly transformed himself into a doctor and started looking Iago over. "You're right, ma'am," he reported to Jasmine. "I'm prescribing a minimum full day's rest until the bird sees a significant decrease in symptoms. Here, give him two tablets and have him call me in the morning."

"All right, all right, you don't have to baby me," grumbled Iago. "I just need a little nap."

"Sounds good, Iago," said Aladdin. "You take care of yourself, and we'll see you later."

"And if you need anything, don't hesitate to let us know," Jasmine added.

Iago had a greedy gleam in his eyes as he fluttered over to Jasmine. "Well princess, if you can manage it, maybe you could set me up with some room service, and a bigger bed, and a few sacks of gold coins, and…"

"Don't push your luck," Jasmine said with an amused smirk as she playfully tickled Iago under his bill. "Now scat."

After Abu and Iago had shook hands and made up, Iago flew into the palace and headed for his bedroom. The rest of the gang remained in the courtyard to finish the volleyball game.

"Hey, my team needs another player," said Jasmine. "It isn't fair otherwise."

"Help is on the way!" declared Genie. With a wave of his arm, Genie conjured up a clone of himself on Jasmine's side of the net. "My homemade twin brother will serve your purposes."

The Genie doppelganger saluted the genuine article, and the game continued.

* * *

Later that day, Aladdin and Jasmine went to check on Iago. Peering into Iago's bedroom, they saw that he was asleep. At the same time, they noticed that he seemed to turning slightly in his sleep as he lay in bed, and they could hear him making odd mumbling and growling noises. Deciding not to disturb him, Aladdin and Jasmine quietly closed the door again and tiptoed away from Iago's room.

"Aladdin, I can't quite put my finger on it, but I'm worried that something else may be wrong with Iago," Jasmine said once they were a fair distance down the hall. "I have this odd feeling that something besides ordinary sickness may be bothering him."

"I know what you mean, Jasmine," Aladdin nodded. "I just wish I knew what it was. I honestly can't think of why Iago would be so uncomfortable all of a sudden."

"Well, we both know that Iago is a special case," Jasmine mused. "After all, he became our friend only after he forced himself to give up his…unfortunate past as an ally of Jafar."

As that particular name passed her lips, Jasmine moved closer to Aladdin and gently placed her fingers upon his shoulders, as if imploring him to give her strength as she remembered that horrible man. Of all the nefarious enemies they had faced, none had menaced them as personally or as powerfully as their first and original foe…Jafar. At the mention of his name, Aladdin drew Jasmine close, holding her tenderly as if to comfort her and to shield her from the fearful memories of dangers past. In turn, she held him in the same manner to communicate her steadfast devotion to him in the face of all hardships—past, present and future.

As she delicately and lovingly touched her fiancé's face, Jasmine continued. "We know that Iago suffered unimaginable fear and repression in Jafar's employment, and we also know about the enormous guilt that he felt when he finally came to terms with the fact that he had collaborated with evil. Iago may have become evil while he was with Jafar, but deep down inside, there was a trace of his original goodness. Aladdin, what if Iago is subconsciously being tormented by his guilt over some of the bad things he did in the past?"

"It's possible," Aladdin agreed. "Iago had to make a difficult personal journey in order to rediscover his basic decency. Something like that doesn't happen easily."

"We can't let this continue," Jasmine said. "If this is what's bothering Iago, it's up to us to remind him that he is part of a family that cares for him. It's the only way to make him feel that he is where he belongs."

"You're right, Jasmine," Aladdin replied. "I think we sometimes forget about Iago's problems because he always acts so cocky, egotistical and obnoxious."

"Yeah, he _can_ be exasperating, even if it's funny at times," Jasmine said with a small smile. "But at the end of the day, it's just Iago being Iago. He still has real feelings, even if he hates to admit it."

"Maybe we should go talk to him—try to get him to open up," Aladdin suggested.

Jasmine shook her head. "Not all of us at once. It would only make him defensive. You know how Iago is—it's hard for him to admit when he has a problem, especially an emotional one. Being confronted by a whole group of people would just provoke him. Someone needs to talk to him one-on-one, to help him feel comfortable discussing this kind of thing."

"I'll do it," offered Aladdin. "After all, I brought him into the fold in the first place."

"Actually, Aladdin, I think I should be the first one to bring this up with him," Jasmine said. "I've spent enough time hanging out with Iago that I think I know exactly how to talk to him. Let me give it a try tonight."

"Are you sure you think you can deal with him okay?" asked Aladdin.

"I don't think I'll run into any big problems," Jasmine replied. "I can be very persuasive with other people." Then she let a mischievous smile curl over her face and playfully ran her fingers over Aladdin's chest. "But you already know that quite intimately, don't you?"

Aladdin laughed as he felt a tickle from Jasmine's fingers, and she giggled along with him. "Don't you? Don't you?" she teased. "Don't you know how persuasive I am?"

"Yes, yes, I admit it!" Aladdin laughed. "It's hard not to be swayed by you."

Jasmine leaned forward and pressed her lips against Aladdin's, and he offered no resistance. When Jasmine had ended the kiss, she resumed a serious tone.

"I'll try to learn everything that's troubling Iago, and I'll do what I can to make him feel comfortable confiding in us," she said. "Then we can see what we'll do going forward."

"Good thinking," Aladdin said. "I knew there was a reason I fell in love with you."

"Try not to forget it," she grinned. They kissed once more and walked on down the hall.

* * *

That night, Jasmine went back to Iago's room to see if he had woken. Glancing through a crack in the door, she saw that he was indeed awake, though he was still sprawled across the bed. She was about to open the door, but she stopped herself when she remembered how much Iago hated being barged in on by other people. So she knocked on the door instead.

At the sound of the knock, Iago seemed to jump abruptly in his bed. Jasmine could see his eyes grow as big as baseballs as if in sudden shock.

"Huh?! What?! Who-?!" she heard him sputter. "Who's there?"

"It's me, Iago—Jasmine," the princess replied. "May I come in?"

"Ohhhhh, Jasmine." Iago sounded like he was exhaling in supreme relief. "Sure, princess, come on in."

Jasmine entered the bedroom and strode beside Iago's bed. Now that she was nearer, she could see that the parrot did indeed appear tense—and not tense in the way Iago normally would display, but in a way somehow more distant and more petrified.

"Hey princess, you've got some nerve sneaking up on a guy like that," Iago groused. "What are you trying to do, give me a heart attack? I've got a delicate constitution here!"

"Oh really?" Jasmine said with a skeptical raise of an eyebrow. "Then how, pray tell, do you manage to keep up that hot temper of yours without giving yourself a heart attack?"

Iago looked a little abashed. "Touché, princess, touché," he said with a sheepish grin.

Jasmine smiled and sat down on the side of Iago's bed. "And you realize, of course, that I didn't sneak up on you, right? I knocked first. You wouldn't accuse the Princess of Agrabah of being discourteous, would you?" She looked at Iago with mock seriousness even as she maintained a merry twinkle in her eye to let him know that she was just kidding around with him.

Despite himself, Iago couldn't help chuckling. "Maybe in my sickly delirious state of mind, I blurted that out without knowing what came over me," he said in an ingratiating tone.

"You're a funny bird, Iago," Jasmine noted. "What in the world am I ever going to do with you?" As she and the parrot shared a laugh, Jasmine sensed that the time was right to bring up her intended subject. Since Iago now appeared more relaxed than he did a moment ago, she figured it was best to start breaking the ice while she still could.

"But speaking of sickness, what I really came here to do is ask you how you were feeling," she said. "I know you've been a little under the weather lately, and I wanted to see if you felt better."

Iago sighed. "I'm okay, really. It's not that bad. Just a few migraines, that's all. A little sleep helps. It's just that it feels kind of weird because they keep coming back."

"Aladdin and I have noticed that you seem more tense than usual," Jasmine said. "Your facial expressions and your body language just seemed to suggest that you were worried about something."

"Aladdin noticed too?!" Iago's eyes widened. "Oh, that's perfect! It isn't enough that my head feels like a fried egg, but now everyone is speculating about my emotional welfare! Geez, how embarrassing is that?! I might as well walk around with a sign around my neck that says, 'Wimp of the Year'!"

"Iago, calm yourself," Jasmine urged. "No one is going to think any less of you just because you're feeling anxious or worried about something. We are all your friends. In fact, we're your family, too. And we care about you. But you have to be open with us about what's troubling you if we're ever going to be able to help you."

Iago hesitated. "I don't know if I feel good about this—,"

"Please try," said Jasmine. "I think you'll be glad you did. Don't you care enough about yourself to try to make yourself feel better? Don't you care enough about your friends to let us help you? Don't you care enough about…me?"

As Jasmine spoke her words, Iago looked into her bright, misty eyes and perceived an earnest compassion emanating from them. The genuine kindness in her eyes seemed to convey a kind of angelic benevolence that actually made him feel…comforted. The palpable goodness of Jasmine felt so different from the relentless malice he had constantly felt flowing from Jafar. So different from all that time he had spent as Jafar's assistant, feeling Jafar's wrathful spirit and absorbing his malevolent psyche. Jasmine made all of that seem like a lost, forgotten world.

"Jasmine…you've convinced me," he said finally. "I'm going to get this off my chest. I just hope you won't laugh at what I have to say."

"I won't even think about doing that," she promised as she gently stroked Iago's head.

Iago took a deep breath. "The truth is, I've only told you part of the reason I've been feeling sick lately. It isn't just these headaches. I've been having nightmares too."

"Nightmares?" Jasmine was now intently concerned.

"Yeah," Iago said. "These nightmares have been coming back to me a lot lately whenever I've fallen asleep. I can't figure out why they won't stop. And they all involve…Jafar." He choked out that name with a hoarse noise that sounded halfway between a cough and a vomit.

Jasmine's eyebrows rose for a moment, and then she lightly stroked Iago on the cheek. "I'm so sorry, Iago," she said, and then added, "Please go on."

"I keep seeing his face, hearing his voice," Iago continued. "And I keep reliving all those times when I made him angry." He shuddered. "And then it gets even worse: Not only do I keep seeing Jafar, but I keep seeing myself when I was as bad as he was. I'm reminded of how evil I was under his guidance, and I start becoming afraid that I'll turn out that way again someday.

"The sad truth is that I'm a coward and an idiot as far as my past is concerned. I couldn't find it in myself to turn away from Jafar. Okay, it's true that he used a little magic to help influence my darker side and bring it outward, but I'm ultimately responsible for my choice to do evil. Jafar couldn't have influenced me to show my dark side if I hadn't let him…if I hadn't done it of my own free will. I was just too weak to resist. Too weak and too stupid.

"I was scared to death of Jafar, and I was angry at the world in general. When Jafar first took me in to be his pet and his helper, no one else cared for me. I was owned by some wealthy merchants who kept me locked in a cage and fed me lousy food. They didn't care for me; they just wanted to sell me for the highest possible price, especially since I could talk like a human. Then Jafar comes along one day with all his money, and he buys me. He takes me to the palace and promises to make life better for me, to treat me better than my previous owners did. But it becomes clear that he just wants to use me, just like all the other humans I had experienced…except Jafar does it in even more awful ways."

Iago paused and fell silent. Jasmine continued to pet his head as she sat at his bedside and listened. "I know he hurt you, didn't he, Iago?" she said.

The parrot nodded and shut his eyes. "And I gradually became as bad as Jafar," he went on. "I became just a reflection of his evil. I was driven partly by fear of making Jafar mad, and partly by my continuing resentment of other humans because of the way my former owners had treated me."

Iago then looked Jasmine right in the eye. "And that's why I often feel like I don't deserve friends like you. I did some terrible things. Not only that, but I actually hated you when I was on Jafar's side! In my warped thinking, you were someone who was trying to keep people like me and Jafar down. I _despised_ you back then. Can you believe that? And yet here you are, showing me compassion and generosity that I don't deserve.

"I know I've been a jerk, always complaining and yelling. That's enough to make me wonder why I have any friends at all. But I've also been an evildoer, which makes me even more upset now that I can actually think like a sane person. The fact that you and all the others have forgiven me, taken me in, and included me in all of your wild adventures in spite of everything I was and everything I still am…it just surprises me sometimes when I think hard about it."

Jasmine was listening intently, and her face continued to shine with compassion. "I understand what you're saying," she said. "It took me a while to be convinced that you really had changed. But once I was sure, once I realized it was true, I came to love you as much as all the rest of my dearest friends."

She leaned closer to Iago and continued. "You mustn't hold onto your guilt, Iago. You're forgetting so many important things: You saved us all from Jafar when he tried to take revenge on us. You were the key in destroying his magic lamp, which destroyed him as well. Jafar is dead now, and there's no reason for him to haunt you anymore."

"I just can't forget the bad things I did," Iago said.

"But you can forgive yourself for them," said Jasmine. "We have all forgiven you because you have proved, time and time again, in all of our adventures, that no matter how self-centered you make yourself appear, you really do have a caring heart underneath it all. You've saved us, and you've helped save the kingdom. And I know true goodness when I see it."

"You really believe that?" Iago asked.

Jasmine nodded. "We all need to be able to forgive ourselves for things we've said or done. I've made mistakes in my life, and so have Aladdin and everyone else. You're not the first person to make bad decisions, Iago, and you won't be the last. What matters is how we live our lives after we change for the better.

"Those things you said about you being 'cowardly' or 'stupid'—that's Jafar talking, not you. He wanted you to feel that way about yourself so he could control you. But you don't need to listen to any of that, because you won, and Jafar lost. And your final victory over him wasn't the fact that you helped destroy him. Your final victory was that you found a family."

Jasmine smiled when she saw that Iago was now listening even more intently than ever. "Think about it," she continued. "Jafar wanted you to believe in nothing except the will to power. That's all he ever cared about. But you now possess something that he never did—the love of family and friends. You surpassed him in what really matters in life, and I'm proud of you for it."

Iago's face brightened. "You're right, princess!" he said with renewed confidence in his voice. "I _do_ feel like a lucky bird! I don't know why, but I'm kinda cheery right now!"

"I think you're starting to realize what you have," Jasmine smiled. "It's something that neither Jafar nor any other evil can take away from you. It's something that no one can take away from any of us."

"So you mean, like, living well is the best revenge, and all that?" Iago ventured.

"In a nutshell," Jasmine grinned. She then gave the parrot a hug. There were times when Iago would have dismissed all this as "mushy stuff," but he wasn't in that kind of mood now. He was feeling too good at the moment.

"Thanks, Jasmine," he said with a big, toothy smile. "I'm not exactly one to overindulge in emotional escapades, but this conversation was fantastic. I think I'm gonna be a lot closer to a speedy recovery now."

"I'm so glad," said Jasmine. "Just get a good night's rest and think about everything we've discussed."

"Say, Jas, how'd the rest of that volleyball game go?" Iago inquired.

"Oh, Genie's team won," Jasmine told him. "We figured that was likely, of course. But don't worry, we'll get even next time." She laughed. "Genie and Carpet have actually left for the night. They've gone to one of those future time periods Genie's always talking about to watch 'movies' or 'motion pictures' or whatever those types of entertainment are called. But if you need anyone else, Aladdin, Abu and I are around."

"Sounds good, Jas," Iago said. "Hopefully I'll be better in the morning."

"Good night, Iago. Sleep well." Jasmine gave him a small kiss on the forehead and then quietly exited Iago's room.


	2. Chapter 2

Iago lay back in his bed pondering everything that he and Jasmine had shared in their exchange. He knew he was lucky to be among people who truly felt compassion for him. At the very least, it was a lot better than being all alone in a big, dangerous world.

Okay, it was true that a lot of this constant jabber about friendship and love got kind of mushy and syrupy at times. Iago had always possessed an instinctive aversion to that sort of thing. And yet…the more he had experienced genuine friendship over time, the more he had come to realize that it was more than just mushy sentimentalism. Much more. To be a part of a group of people who cared deeply for one another—including him!—was like nothing he had experienced before. When he took the time to appreciate what he had, it felt _so good_. Aladdin and Jasmine had turned out to be two of the bravest, smartest, most fundamentally decent people he had ever encountered, and just being counted in their company was a pretty high honor. Moreover, their heroism and their basic morality had inspired him to become better than he was. Iago knew that he wasn't the classic hero that Aladdin was, but he didn't mind trying to be more heroic now and then whenever he could work up the nerve to do so.

Even though Iago liked to think of himself as fiercely independent, and even though he often behaved as if he put himself and his interests above everything else, he couldn't deny that he had formed a powerful bond with Aladdin and his little group. This was especially true with regard to Jasmine, because Iago had worked closely with her on many occasions ever since Aladdin had first brought him into the fold. She had proven to be an even greater friend than Iago had ever dared to hope for….certainly a much better comrade than Jafar had ever been. _And to think I was supposed to hate Jasmine back then!_ he thought. _What the heck was I thinking?!_

At any rate, he had participated in enough adventures and enough missions to save Agrabah to build a deep reservoir of trust and good-fellowship with his friends. The entire gang of adventurers—Aladdin, Jasmine, Genie, Carpet, Abu and Iago—had faced so many dangers and so many evil villains together that they could virtually predict each other's moves in battle. It definitely helped to boost everyone's camaraderie when they were taking down jerks like Mozenrath and Mechanicles.

For Iago, it was all a welcome change from his former life, a life he remembered all too well…

* * *

All those years ago, Iago had found himself locked up in a birdcage at a bazaar where rich landowners were selling their wares. He had been raised in a family of parrots, first in the rainforest and later at a wealthy plantation owner's estate, but now he was being put up for sale like all the other parrots that had been raised at the plantation. His owners had observed that Iago had been born with the near-miraculous ability to speak just like a human and to perfectly mimic other people's voices and speech patterns. Thus, he became a most prized asset on the market, and the merchants were hoping to bargain him away for the greatest price possible.

Iago had to do whatever the merchants demanded of him or else risk being poked with a stick or being deprived of dinner. He had to smile and talk for the onlookers whenever he was told. Even though he could speak like a human, the merchants still made Iago frequently perform standard "parrot talk" on the grounds that the crowds found it "cute."

"Perk up, you lazy bird!" one of them would bark. "Talk for the nice people. Say 'Polly want a cracker!' You'd better cooperate if you want to see your next meal."

Another vendor would say, "I'll show you how to make a dumb animal cooperate." Then he would proceed to jam a stick into Iago's cage, painfully poking the parrot's body with sharp jabs.

On and on this routine went, and Iago hated it more each day. One part of the routine he especially hated was being force-fed crackers by the people whenever he opened his mouth to speak. Iago despised those dry, revolting crackers the merchants kept on hand for any onlookers who wanted to pay a few pennies just to feed the "pretty Polly." It did not matter to the merchants at all that Iago found these particular snack treats sickening.

One day, as Iago was once again sitting in his cage at the bazaar, he caught sight of a distinguished-looking man roaming the market area. He was a tall man clothed in long, black silk robes, with an elaborate mitre-like turban sitting upon his head. The figure's elegant robes were further augmented by a prodigious flowing black cape with a crimson lining. A distinctive mustache and goatee punctuated his somewhat sharp-featured face. The man held a staff in his hand, and Iago saw that the staff had been carved to resemble a cobra's head. He also noticed that in addition to the snake imagery of the staff, the man himself seemed to project a serpent-like aura, moving about with a writhing grace suggesting a snake's slither and glancing around with a pair of shifty, steely eyes reminiscent of a predator on the hunt.

Iago figured that anyone who wore such richly adorned garments must be a high-ranking government official. His suspicions were confirmed when he saw that several merchants in the bazaar seemed to recognize the man, imploring him to consider their wares. The darkly endowed man, however, disdainfully brushed aside these people as he sauntered through the streets. He was drawing closer to the vendor stand in which Iago's birdcage was situated.

"Ah, Grand Vizier!" one of Iago's owners said when the figure at last approached the stand. "What an honor it is to be graced by your presence this day, Your Eminence! Pray, what might we be able to do for you?"

"I am simply taking a little stroll on this fine day to observe what might be found in the bazaar," the man replied. "I would certainly hope that you might have something worthwhile to see, because frankly, I find most of these displays distinctly unimpressive."

The ingratiating merchants led the dark-clothed figure through their various wares until they came to Iago's birdcage. "This parrot is called Iago, Your Eminence, and he has a special talent," one vendor said. "He can speak like any human and can perfectly imitate anyone's voice."

"Indeed?" wondered the black-garbed man. "I should like a firsthand examination."

The merchants compelled Iago to demonstrate his speaking skills, and after Iago was finished performing, he saw that the stranger still seemed interested. Iago felt relieved that the stranger had not tried to feed him any of those disgusting crackers. Then he heard the man announce to the owners, "I normally have no use for stupid animals, but I may find some use for this one. I'm prepared to pay handsomely for the bird."

The bargain was struck, and Iago found himself finally freed of his unenviable life as a parrot on sale. He certainly hoped that he would be heading for something better. The tall man who had bought Iago took his cage in one hand and spoke directly to him.

"Greetings, Iago," he said. "I am Jafar, Grand Vizier to the Sultan of Agrabah, and now your new master as well. I have a feeling that we shall get along quite well."

"I sure hope so," Iago said. "I've gotta tell ya, those jerks you bought me from were the pits! I had the crummiest life kissing up to them. In fact, now that I'm outta their hands, I'd love to pay 'em back for all the things they did to me! Just lemme at 'em and I'll give 'em such a beating they won't be able to eat solid food for a year and-!"

"Now, now, no need for that," Jafar admonished. "You no longer need to trouble yourself with your previous owners. A new life now beckons you. And besides, I think I can channel that bumptious rage of yours in a more useful direction."

Iago had no idea what Jafar had in mind, but he had other things on his mind at the moment. He had just been bought by the Royal Vizier of Agrabah! That meant he was going to be living at the palace! Iago could hardly believe his good luck. Not only was he free of his original owners, but he would also be living in the kingdom's ultimate lap of luxury! As Jafar strolled down the street carrying Iago in the cage, the parrot grew excited.

"Hey Jafar," he drawled. "Now that we're going to be roommates at the palace and all, how about you get me a few things? I'd like a king-sized bed with silk draperies, a plush pillow, a private bath, a fruit bowl, a table for my stuff, a chest of gold coins, a shiny ruby, another chest of gold coins, a…"

Iago's dialogue was suddenly cut short by Jafar's hand reaching into the birdcage and grabbing him by the throat. As Iago writhed in pain in the man's fierce grip, he observed that Jafar's expression, which a moment ago had appeared courteous and solicitous, had now changed to a fearsome snarl that distorted his features with an ugly wrathfulness.

"Listen to me, you idiotic creature," Jafar hissed. "Don't you _ever_ bring requests to me again. _I_ am your master, and _I_ will decide what you need. Is that clear?"

Iago gasped as Jafar's long fingers constricted around his neck more tightly. "Yes sir, we're clear," he managed to choke out. Jafar released him and continued walking.

* * *

Jafar eventually brought Iago to the palace grounds and carried him through the entrance. Iago was mesmerized by the exquisitely gorgeous architecture and gardens the great pavilion exhibited. Jafar then took him inside the palace and up to the grand vizier's chamber, which was decorated with elegant red-and-black marble. Then Iago beheld another surprise: Jafar revealed a sliding wall in the chamber concealing a spiral staircase leading into a series of dark corridors hidden within the palace's infrastructure. Jafar carried Iago up the stairwell, through the corridors, and into a secret room hidden within the walls of one of the palace towers.

The interior of the room was eerily dark, with only mild light shining from a few lamps placed here and there. The room was filled with assorted objects such as globes, maps, vials, decanters, bottles, hour glasses and astrological charts. Off to one side, there were stone shelves containing numerous books, scrolls, potteries and glass containers. Iago looked around the room with a mixture of amazement and wariness.

"Hey Jafar, this place kinda creeps me out," he finally commented. "Whoever designed this room must have been reading a ghost story or something during his lunch break!"

"I designed this hidden laboratory to give myself a place to explore unknown magic and mysterious phenomena," Jafar told him. "The laboratory is carefully concealed to ensure that none may learn the many magical secrets I have discovered." He then glared at Iago with dangerous-looking eyes. "And no one will reveal what they have seen here, will they?" he said.

Iago was starting to sweat profusely. "No, no, of course not," he said hastily. "I know a guy's gotta have his zone of privacy. Doesn't everybody?"

Jafar eyed Iago suspiciously for a moment, but then continued. "The magical secrets of this world hold the key to unmatched power, and power is what I am after. I intend to unlock as many wonders of the cosmos as possible until I possess the means to seize control of this kingdom."

Iago's eyes grew wide, and the feathers on his head stood on end. "You're—you're planning to take over Agrabah?" he stammered.

"Naturally," Jafar replied. "The sultan who rules this realm is an evil man who has forfeited his right to govern. He is a cruel tyrant, as well as an incompetent ruler. He must be deposed if Agrabah is ever to have any hope of a better future."

"Why are you telling me all this?" Iago asked.

"Because even though you are obviously a weak, worthless animal, you may yet prove to be of some minimal benefit to me," Jafar said. "It's always good to have a servant who can carry out little chores that may be necessary to achieve my goals."

"Now wait a minute, Jafar," Iago said with more vehemence than before. "If you're looking to hurt people, you've got the wrong guy. I never signed on for that. And I definitely didn't sign on to be your lackey. I thought I was gonna be a roommate!"

"Then you were a fool," Jafar shot back. "You're in my world now, and in my world, following my plans is all that matters. Don't you understand, Iago? I intend to liberate this great kingdom from a bad ruler and place the reins of power in more capable hands—namely mine. And if you cooperate, I promise that you will have a privileged place in the new order. You will have everything you could desire, and no one will abuse you again—provided, of course, you do as I say."

"Well, uh, maybe…" Iago was unsure of how to respond to all of this. Could he really have everything he wanted? What was he getting into?

"I shall share with you the vast secrets of the mystical world which I have gleaned through my painstaking research," Jafar continued. "You and I will become a worthy duo to inherit the throne and make Agrabah great again."

Jafar paused for a moment and then spoke again. "However, before we can begin those enjoyable undertakings, we must first attend to some important business."

Iago watched with interest as Jafar picked up a glass globe from the table. The globe began to glow with blue light, and as it glowed, Iago suddenly felt himself gripped by an unseen force. A beam of energy emanating from the globe abruptly lifted the parrot into the air and pinned him to the wall. No matter how much he struggled, Iago could not free himself of the force enveloping him; instead, he felt the energy beam squeezing him tighter and tighter.

"Get me out of here!" Iago squawked. "Help!" As the beam constricted around him, Iago thought, _It's crushing me! I can't hold out much longer!_ Then the force holding Iago suddenly dissipated, and he fell to the floor and found himself sitting dazed against the wall.

When Iago had stopped gasping for breath, he turned to Jafar and yelled, "What the heck was that?! I almost got crushed like a tin can! What did you just do?!"

Iago then cringed when he observed a mad gleam in Jafar's shifty eyes and saw a sickening smile crawl over his distorted face. "It's quite simple, my dear parrot," Jafar replied. "You are about to undergo the process of being housebroken. I would hardly be a proper pet owner if I failed to administer obedience training. Obedience is very important in my world."

Jafar placed the glowing blue globe back on the table and said, "That beam of energy which pinned you to the wall was but a small sample of the consequences of disappointing your master." He then picked up a glass vial, which abruptly began to erupt with super-hot red sparks. "Let us explore more samples, shall we?" he said as he advanced menacingly on Iago and pointed the burning sparks directly toward the parrot's body.

Iago could only gaze upward in terror as Jafar moved upon him with the crackling red sparks. As his eyes widened in fear and disbelief, his horror only grew when he realized that, locked inside these cursed catacombs, no one would be able to hear him scream.

* * *

As time passed, Iago gradually grew accustomed to life with Jafar and did his best to avoid giving Jafar reasons to think that more "housebreaking" was needed. Although Iago was not happy about Jafar's continuing plans to take over Agrabah, he decided that there was not much he could do about it. After all, if he left Jafar, where would he go? Who would take him in and shield him from the dangers of the outside world? As bad as Jafar could be, he had at least kept Iago safe from such dangers outside the secure walls of the palace.

Before long, Iago was able to meet the Sultan of Agrabah and his daughter, Princess Jasmine. It was already decided that Iago would not reveal that he could speak like a human, so he simply behaved like a common pet parrot in the presence of people other than Jafar. Iago was surprised to find that the Sultan and his daughter seemed to be perfectly kind and sweet people, not at all like the cruel, grasping tyrants of Jafar's description. Iago found them both to be sincere and sympathetic. The only thing that annoyed Iago was the fact that the Sultan insisted on feeding him lousy crackers all the time, bringing back unpleasant memories of his days at the bazaar.

After one such encounter with the Sultan, Jafar and Iago returned to the privacy of Jafar's chamber. As soon as they were inside, Iago angrily spat out the cracker crumbs that were lodged in his mouth.

"Yeech!" he shouted. "I hate those things! I wish the Sultan would quit feeding me those revolting crackers all the time!"

"Didn't I warn you that he was a terrible person?" Jafar asked. "He's no better than your previous owners. It is just one more reason that we must find a way to overthrow him and seize power for ourselves."

Iago paused. "Uh, Jafar….look, I'm not happy about being fed these rotten crackers, but I don't want to hurt anyone either. Can't we just tell the Sultan that I don't care for crackers?"

"Don't be such a fool," Jafar snapped. "I know that you are a stupid creature, Iago, but surely even you can see what's right in front of your face! The Sultan and his daughter _hate_ you. They think you are beneath them, and that is why they feed you substandard food. Trying to persuade them to do otherwise would be futile."

"I can't believe they would hate me that much," Iago protested. "The princess just seems like a really nice person. And she's…kind of pretty, too."

"That is irrelevant," said Jafar. "You do not know them the way I do, and you lack the intelligence to see them as the wretches they are. They have been keeping me down for years, forcing me to grovel before them when it should have been _me_ compelling others to grovel! I deserve more than what I have. I deserve _everything_. I have worked too hard not to be in command of everything."

"Still dreaming of the day when you'll be lounging on that throne?" Iago ventured.

Jafar nodded. "When I was young, my parents accused me of being a nasty, badly behaved child, and so they sent me away to boarding school. There I studied hard and learned all I could to become something better than I was. I was determined to use all my knowledge and skills to ascend to the grandest heights of power. And I have partially succeeded…but it isn't nearly enough. I deserve to be in full control over everything there is to see!"

"Are you sure you're not going overboard with this ambition thing?" Iago inquired.

"No!" Jafar insisted. "And if you are smart in any way, you will assist me in my plans. The Sultan and his daughter want to oppress people like us, and they certainly have no use for a worthless bird like you. Only I see your true potential, Iago. And that is why we will win someday."

Iago couldn't deny that the continued force-feeding of crackers soured him at times and brought him bad memories of his own early oppression. At the same time, however, he had the sneaking suspicion that Jafar was somehow using some subtle magic to encourage his own anger and resentment. But that didn't matter, Iago figured. What _did_ matter was that he was living in a palace, benefiting from its luxury and staying protected from the perils of the outside world. Even if Jafar wasn't easy to live with, Iago had nothing better to turn to…did he?

* * *

_Yes. Yes, I did have something better to turn to._ Back in the present day, Iago continued to lounge in his bed recalling the myriad events of the past while also considering Jasmine's kind words. _There were MUCH better people to whom I could turn. Aladdin. And Jasmine. And Jasmine's dad. And all the other friends in Aladdin's circle. All my old enemies…until I finally listened to my conscience when it kept telling me that Jafar was the real enemy…an enemy to me, and an enemy to anyone with any sense of basic decency._

Iago shuddered when he remembered how he had become so angry and so resentful toward people in general that he had eventually abandoned his conscience altogether and served Jafar's evil without any hesitation. He had grown so evil that he no longer even cared when Jafar hurt people. It was at that time that Iago was at his lowest point.

Once Iago had reformed and joined up with the good guys (some time after escaping from Jafar's lamp when Jafar had become a genie), he had learned how good it was to have real friends. And when Jafar himself eventually escaped the lamp and sought revenge on Aladdin, Iago had helped to destroy Jafar once and for all. The nightmare had ended for everyone.

As these various thoughts passed through Iago's head, he gradually lulled himself to sleep. Some time later (he could not be sure exactly how long), he awakened in the dark again…and found that he was no longer in his bed. He was lying on a heap of sand!

"What the-?!" Iago squawked as he jumped up. Frantically, he looked around in every direction and saw nothing but miles of sand as far as the eye could see. He was standing in the middle of the desert! It was the dead of night, with the moonlight and the stars shining down on the sand-laden terrain beneath the dark sky.

"Oh, that's just _great_!" Iago growled out loud. "I must have been sleepwalking! Or sleep-flying, maybe. And I sleepwalked myself right out of the palace and into the stinking desert!"

Iago kept looking at the barren landscape all around him. "I don't believe this! Not only did I sleepwalk out of the palace, but I also sleepwalked out of Agrabah altogether! I can't see the city anywhere! That's why I'm standing here in the middle of nowhere!"

The parrot sighed. "Well, no matter. I'll just head back to the city now. It's right this way."

Or was it? Iago looked and could not remember the way back to Agrabah. He had no idea where he was, and nothing looked familiar. Was Agrabah in the opposite direction? Or in a completely different direction? He had no idea. _Where the heck was he?_

"I'm lost!" he shrieked aloud. "I don't know where I am! I've gotta get help! Help! Can anyone hear me?! Anyone?! This parrot needs help _right now_!"

"Hello, Iago," said an oily, disembodied voice. "I am so pleased to see that you have finally arrived."

The sound of that voice was like a dagger through Iago's ear. It was a voice he had thought forever silenced, one he had hoped never to hear again. Cringing in mortal terror, he slowly turned around…and beheld the dark, ghoulish figure of Jafar.

"ARRRGH!" he screamed as he leaped backward across the sand. "JAFAR?!" You're dead! I saw you kick the bucket with my own eyes!"

"Quite true, you traitorous cockroach," hissed Jafar. "I _did_ die, and I remain dead. But that will soon change."

Iago was terrified not only by Jafar's presence, but also by the knowledge that Jafar probably still possessed formidable magical abilities, even though he no longer had the godlike powers of a genie. Despite his terror, Iago was able to raise his voice. "What's going on, Jafar? How can you be here? Where am I?"

"Allow me to explain," Jafar replied. "We are not in the desert outside Agrabah, as you had assumed. We are inside your mind."

Iago gasped. "My…mind? We're inside my head?"

"That is correct," said Jafar. "This desert scenery is merely a background image painted by your subconscious mind. You and I now stand upon the mental plane of your psychic reality. We are here in our astral forms…and more specifically, I am here in my spirit form."

"Spirit form?" Iago suddenly understood. "I get it! You're some kind of ghost now, aren't you?"

"Indeed," Jafar nodded. "You put it most perspicuously. My spirit has emerged within your mind…and I have you to thank for that. Your lingering feelings of guilt and fear were powerful enough for my spirit to detect them across the bounds of eternity. These fearful emotions allowed me to use my remaining magical power to establish a beachhead in your psyche…and to reestablish myself in astral form."

"I knew there was something screwy going on in my head!" Iago squawked. "You've been causing me all the trouble I've been having."

"Yes, once my magic spell brought me into your mind, I began sending you nightmares and other negative sensations to strengthen my position here," Jafar continued. "And once my magic was strong enough, I psychically transported you here in your astral form. And now, Iago, you will finally have the ultimate chance to redeem yourself for betraying me to that wretch Aladdin. You shall bring about my resurrection."

Iago looked startled, and then his eyes narrowed. "In your dreams, Jafar!" he said. "You're dead, and you're gonna stay that way! No way am I gonna help you come back to life!"

"Fool," Jafar snarled. "Who said anything about my needing your willing cooperation? I do not require your willing assistance, Iago…only you."

"What the heck are you talking about?"

"You have already given me what I need," Jafar said with a sinister leer. "The process has already begun, and you cannot stop it. I have cast a magic spell that will eventually replace your mind with my own. My psyche will soon overwhelm yours, and once it does, I will be in full control of this mental plane. Then I will be ready to be reborn in the physical world as well. The spell will next overwhelm your physical body, replacing it with mine. My body will spontaneously grow out of your sleeping body in the physical world, and I shall be alive again!"

"You're gonna make your body grow out of mine?!" Iago sputtered. "Ewww! No offense, Jafar, but that sounds pretty gross!"

"Your opinion on the matter is of no consequence at all, you insect," Jafar snapped.

"What's gonna happen to me when the spell is done?" Iago asked.

"You will cease to exist," Jafar said. "There will be no more Iago, because your essence will be entirely supplanted by mine. You, in both mind and body, will be the vessel of my renewal. Once the magic spell gathers enough energy and destroys your astral form, your physical body will be destroyed next, and mine will be resurrected in its place. Then I will finally be free to annihilate Aladdin and everyone he cares for! I shall retake my rightful place as ruler of Agrabah, and perhaps then I will focus on conquering other lands as well."

"No!" Iago screeched. "You can't do this!"

"It is already happening, you little cretin," Jafar sneered. "Now that you are here, my magic spell is unstoppable! It is quite fitting—you will enable me to live again, and at the same time, I will get revenge on you for helping to cause my death. Then Aladdin and his friends will be eliminated as well…and this time, no one can save them."

Jafar then stared hard at Iago with malicious eyes and a loathsome smile. "I hope you enjoyed your day with Aladdin and his friends, Iago—because it was the last time you will ever see them! Normally, I might have been generous and permitted you a final opportunity to bid farewell to your companions, but unfortunately my current plans do not allow for such courtesies. Therefore, I do hope you savored your final moments with them."

Then the madman stepped back. "And now, my doomed friend, I must return to the deep interior of your mind to make sure that the magical energies of my spell are building properly. Farewell, traitor…forever." With that, Jafar vanished, leaving Iago stranded in the barren desert of his mind's eye.


	3. Chapter 3

Iago was in a state of panic. He could think of nothing he could do to put a stop to this nightmarish scenario. _It can't happen this way!_ he thought frantically. _It can't end like this!_

It was now that he recalled the tender, merciful entreaties of Jasmine, guiding him back into the light. But she was so far away now. At this moment, there was nothing Iago wished for more than for her to save him.

* * *

Jasmine lay asleep in her bedchamber, but as she slumbered, a strange sensation seemed to come to her in a dream. It was as if she were being called upon, and she felt herself compelled toward an unknown destination. Her very being seemed to be carried to some place of great need.

* * *

Moments later, Jasmine found herself somewhere else entirely. To her shock, she was standing in the middle of a desert landscape beneath the dark, moonlit night sky. "What happened?!" she gasped. "Hello?! Is anyone here?!"

She turned and looked across the nearby sand dunes and, to her surprise, she saw Iago fluttering in the air flapping his wings. He had spotted her as well, and he immediately flew in her direction.

"Jasmine!" he shouted. "It's you! How did you get here?!"

"Iago?" Jasmine gaped. "What's going on? Where are we?"

Iago looked terrified. "We're in big trouble, princess. This is all the work of Jafar!"

Jasmine thought her breath would choke off at that moment. She felt seriously ill. Just knowing that that scumbag was involved in this event was enough to make her want to vomit.

"Jafar," she breathed through gritted teeth, her voice a mix of hatred and horror. Then Jasmine pulled herself together and looked anxiously at Iago. "Iago, you have to tell me what's going on! Don't leave out anything!"

So Iago told her everything. Once Jasmine had received the entire awful story, she immediately held Iago close and hugged him. "I will _not_ let him do this to you, Iago. I won't let him harm _anyone_. We're going to take the fight to Jafar."

"But princess!" Iago cried. "Jafar's got way too much power! And we're running out of time! Let's find Genie, we can sure use his magic now!"

Jasmine shook her head sadly. "We can't reach Genie. He and Carpet are still somewhere in the future. There's no way to contact them when they're in another time period."

"Oh, that's just _great_!" Iago raged in frustration. "Our worst enemy with practically limitless magic power is getting ready to blow us all to smithereens, and we don't even have the two people who can actually do magic themselves!"

Iago's face drooped with crestfallen despair. "This is it! We're finished! I might as well be dead already! There's nothing I can do!" He started to sob.

"No, Iago!" Jasmine insisted. "We've beaten Jafar before, and we're going to do it again. I don't care how much power he has. He is _not_ going to do this to us. We're going to find a way to stop him, and _we will win_."

Iago looked up fearfully. "How can you be so sure? Really, Jasmine, how can you?"

"Because I won't stop until everything precious to me is safe," Jasmine told him. "Aladdin would do the same for us. He'd do the same for everyone. You know that, Iago. We need to be strong and never give up, just like Aladdin would."

"Yeah, I know he would," Iago conceded. "It sure would be good if Al were here now."

"Maybe that can be part of our plan," Jasmine said. "If I got to this place, then maybe we can bring Aladdin here too. He would know how to beat Jafar."

"But how the heck are we going to bring him here?" Iago cried. "I don't even know how you managed to get here!"

"Let's think for a minute, Iago," said Jasmine. "This is your mind, right? If we're standing on your mind's mental plane, then everything that happens here has to be affected by your thoughts somehow. Tell me, do you remember the last thing you were thinking about before I arrived?"

"Let's see," Iago said. "I was scared as all get-out, that's for sure. I was thinking about what Jafar was going to do to me, what he was going to do to everyone else, what I was going to lose, and…" He paused, and then finished his statement. "And I was thinking about everything you told me about having a family that would love me no matter what."

"That's it!" Jasmine's eyes shimmered and a hopeful smile brightened her pretty face. "Iago, don't you see? Your concentration on everything I said to you must have somehow made a psychic connection with me that was strong enough to summon me to your mind's landscape. Somehow I felt I had been summoned for some reason. I think that the positive thoughts you had about our conversation made you strong enough to bring me here!"

"Hey princess, I think you're on to something!" Iago realized.

"You know what this means?" Jasmine continued. "It means you _can_ fight Jafar! This is your mind, Iago. If you can just focus and maintain control, you should be able to resist him. Remember what Jafar said? He said he was able to plant his spirit here because he locked onto your negative emotions of fear and guilt—everything having to do with the unhappiness of your life working for him. He's been feeding on your bad emotions. If you can deny him any more bad feelings from your mind, I think we can beat him!"

"Maybe you're right, Jasmine," Iago said. "But I know Jafar too well—he won't make it that easy for us. We're going to have a fight on our hands."

"Iago, that can be used to our advantage, too," Jasmine pointed out. "You know Jafar better than anyone. You know how he thinks. We can use your knowledge to find a way to stop him."

As Jasmine was speaking, she suddenly felt a powerful rumble beneath her feet, as if an earth tremor was shaking the desert landscape of the psychic plane.

Iago flapped his wings in anxiety. "Oh, _that_ sure sounded pleasant!" he said with an eye roll. "Whatever we're gonna do, we've gotta do it fast, Jasmine! I think Jafar's trying to split my mind like an apple!"

"I would love to split _him_ like an apple," Jasmine said vehemently. "Stay close to me, Iago. We can do this together. If Jafar is somewhere in the center of your mind, we'll follow where these tremors seem the strongest. He must be close by their source."

Iago flew over to Jasmine and perched on her shoulder. "But we need to be ready to fight him," he pointed out. "He'll have his magic ready for us.

"Well, a couple of weapons would be good for starters," Jasmine said. "We're in a psychic reality, and we can create certain things with our minds if we concentrate. Jafar is doing it with his magic, and we should be able to as well."

Jasmine concentrated with her mind, and as she did, a spear materialized in one of her hands, and a sheathed sword and belt materialized in the other. "It worked!" she said. "Now let's stick together and find the source of these magical disturbances."

Iago breathed deeply. "Princess, I can't tell you just how glad I am that you showed up!"

Jasmine smiled and started walking across the sand with the parrot perched on her shoulder. She held the spear in one hand and tied the belt with the sheathed sword around her waist. As she trudged over the sand dunes, Jasmine struggled internally to suppress the lingering fear of having to face their most dangerous adversary on an unknown battleground. But she knew that she could not afford to let her fear overwhelm her—not when there was so much at stake. When Jafar was alive, he had tried to harm her father, her friends, and the man she loved. Jasmine wasn't going to let him come back to life and do it again. It was unacceptable.

_Never again_, she vowed to herself. _Never again will that low-life EVER threaten the people I love. Ever._

* * *

Jasmine and Iago traveled across the dark desert landscape of the mental world, following the path of the magical tremors that were rumbling through the ground. The movement of their mental-image astral forms felt the same as walking in the physical world.

Iago glanced about the scenery skeptically. "Geez, this spooky place is supposed to be the inside of my mind? That's it! If I ever get outta here in one piece, I'm officially turning myself in to the nearest treatment center for the heaviest dose of brain therapy on record!"

"If we can just find a way to break Jafar's hold on you, you should be all right," Jasmine said. "By the way, Iago, do you think you might be able to psychically contact Aladdin and transport him to the mental plane?"

Iago shook his head. "I still haven't been able to do it. I don't know how I managed to do it so easily with you. Maybe I need to concentrate more." He growled in frustration. "For crying out loud, it sure would be nice if these mental planes came with a user-friendly step-by-step instruction manual for this stuff!"

"Well, just keep trying your best," Jasmine told him. "In the meantime, let's keep our eyes peeled for danger."

Iago groaned. "Oh yeah—'danger,' my absolute favorite word in the dictionary! This is turning out to be a real picnic! You know, Jas, I've always thought you and Al were crazy to throw yourselves in front of danger so often, but you never hesitate to do it. You make it look so easy. You've gotta tell me, how do you do it? How do you manage to keep from being afraid?"

"Oh, I still feel afraid," Jasmine said with a sheepish smile. "We all have fear, Iago. None of us is free from it. But I'm able to control my fear when it's necessary because I keep my mind focused on one thing: the people I love. My family, my friends, and the people of Agrabah. When I remind myself that I am fighting to protect others, I'm able to forget my fear and concentrate on defending those I cherish. That doesn't mean I'm not aware of the danger; it's just that it somehow makes it easier for me to face the danger without feeling panic."

"Panic's always been a problem for me," Iago admitted. "It's one of the reasons I wasn't able to think straight enough to be able to resist a jerk like Jafar."

"But you _did_ resist him in the end," Jasmine reminded him. "And we won. You succeeded once, and you'll succeed again. And you won't be alone."

Iago smiled. "Princess, you oughta be a cheerleader or something!"

"Thanks, but I wouldn't have time for that job," Jasmine grinned. "I'd be too busy serving as captain of the wrestling team." She and Iago both laughed.

With Iago still perched on her shoulder, Jasmine made her way farther across the sand-laden plain. Another tremor in the earth could be felt a short distance away. Then, at that moment, a red light began to take shape in the far-off distance, and it seemed to shoot outward, glowing brightly against the night sky as it drew closer to where Jasmine and Iago stood.

"Uh oh! Incoming!" Iago called out. He and Jasmine braced themselves, with Jasmine holding her spear defensively in front of her. The red light descended upon a nearby sand dune and swirled like a whirlwind until it dissipated—leaving in its place the newly materialized body of Jafar.

Jasmine held her breath and went into a defensive crouch as Jafar glared down at her and Iago from the dune. "Get behind me," she whispered to Iago.

"You don't have to tell me twice!" Iago yelped as he took refuge behind Jasmine's shoulders, peering out just enough to be able to see Jafar looming over them against the moonlit sky.

"Well, well, if it isn't Princess Jasmine," Jafar boomed. "I had not expected to see you again quite so soon. It is a wonder that you actually managed to come to this place."

Jasmine was starting to feel that nauseating sickness in her stomach that she always used to feel whenever Jafar was in the same room as she was. As much as his presence repulsed her, however, she was determined not to let her guard down for a second.

"You made it necessary for me to be here, Jafar!" Jasmine snarled. "I know what you're up to, and I swear that you will never succeed!"

"Ah, so the princess hopes to play the hero this day," Jafar said with an amused smirk. "It's quite a shame that your meager efforts are—"

"Shut up," Jasmine said. Her interruption was so abrupt that even Jafar was taken aback for a moment. Iago too was surprised as he continued to peer out from behind the princess.

"Shut up," Jasmine repeated. "I don't want to hear any of your stupid diatribes. You lost, Jafar. You were destroyed, and that's never going to change. Not while I'm still around."

Jafar's eyes narrowed. "Those are bold words, princess," he said. "What a pity you have no power to back them up."

Jafar's eyes began to glow a furious red, and his hands pulsated with throbbing crimson light. Jasmine and Iago gasped, knowing full well what was coming. Magical red energy burst from Jafar's hands, piercing the darkness with a scarlet luminosity as it sailed in the heroes' direction. Jasmine leaped to one side and dodged the blast, while Iago flew to the opposite side to avoid the lightening's impact.

Jasmine turned and saw that Jafar was aiming another red energy blast at her. She immediately jumped backward. The blast narrowly missed Jasmine, but it shook the ground beneath her, causing her to lose her footing and fall down. Jafar advanced closer and prepared to deliver a fresh blow, but Jasmine recovered herself.

She leapt to her feet before the next beam could reach her, and then advanced directly on Jafar, spear pointed straight at him. Jasmine jabbed her spear at Jafar, but found that she could not make the spear penetrate all the way to his person. Jafar was using some kind of magic force field erected around his body to shield himself from the weapon's impact. Jasmine jabbed again and again with the spear, but it was like hitting an invisible wall around Jafar. Still, Jasmine could tell that Jafar had to use considerable effort to maintain the force shield to protect himself. He was being forced to step backward slightly by the spear's impact, even if he wasn't being hurt by it. Anything to make him use up more energy, Jasmine figured as she jabbed again. Then she drew her sword and started slashing at the energy field.

Iago flew over to where Jasmine was standing and hovered above her. He didn't know what he could possibly do in this situation, but after witnessing Jasmine's bravery, he simply knew that he couldn't let her do this by herself.

"Hey Jafar!" he yelled. "Why don't you get the heck out of my head and go back to the graveyard and drink hot cocoa with your ghost friends!"

Jafar paused and glanced up at the parrot. "Ah, Iago," he said with a hint of boredom. "So you still fight against fate. Why can't you simply accept your death like a good bird?"

Jasmine was enraged. She hurled her sword against Jafar's force field harder than ever, and this time, the impact was so great that it visibly shook Jafar, causing him to lose his balance and fall back.

"Don't you ever say that again, you monster!" Jasmine shouted. "Iago is _not_ going to die! I won't let you do something so horrible to him!"

Jafar growled audibly and unleashed a new barrage of red lightening. This time, the blast was too massive to be avoided. Jasmine and Iago were knocked backward through the air by the powerful energy wave, and they fell onto the nearby sand dunes.

"Surrender, princess," Jafar hissed as he advanced. "I have both you and that treacherous parrot now. And very soon, I will have your precious street rat. I am especially looking forward to my little reunion with him."

Jasmine spat defiantly in Jafar's direction even as she lay helplessly on the ground. "You'll never have Aladdin!" she said. "If you want him, you'll have to go through me first! And besides, you can't beat him. No matter what powers you possess, Aladdin will defeat you just like he did every other time!"

"I will not give him that chance," Jafar said. "Not when I take him by surprise. When I am reborn in the physical world, I will already be inside the palace. By the time Aladdin realizes that I am there, it will be too late!"

When Iago saw Jafar closing in upon Jasmine, he suddenly forgot his terror and picked himself up off the sand. He flew into the air and angrily shouted, "Jafar, leave the princess alone!"

Jafar responded with another burst of red lightening from his left hand, which zapped Iago and sent him plummeting twenty feet away.

Jasmine gasped upon seeing this, and then turned back to Jafar with her eyes flaming with hate. "Oh Jafar, how brave of you," she said acidly, her voice brimming with bitter sarcasm. "Blasting a defenseless parrot. You're such an intrepid fighter."

"_Silence!"_ thundered Jafar. He zapped Jasmine where she lay, and the princess winced and writhed in pain. Despite this convulsion, however, Jasmine managed to roll over on the ground to one side and retrieve her spear, which had fallen nearby. Forcing herself to stand up in spite of the blow she had received, Jasmine got ready for Jafar's next move.

"Your boldness is impressive, princess, however annoying it may be," Jafar commented. "In recognition of your courage, I shall extend to you one final offer: If you agree to sit beside me as my queen when I once again rule Agrabah, I shall spare your life."

Jafar stepped closer to Jasmine as a slimy leer crossed his face. "Perhaps a simple kiss could seal our bargain," he said.

"Kiss _this_." Jasmine attacked with her spear again, but not in the way Jafar expected. She faked a leftward thrust with her spear, and as Jafar moved left to block the spear with an energy shield, Jasmine leaped backward at the last second and plunged the other end of the spear into the ground, turning it into a vaulting pole. Leveraging her body against the spear's staff with one quick motion, Jasmine propelled herself forward through the air and slammed both feet directly into Jafar's chest as hard as she could.

Jafar grunted in pain as he went tumbling backward across the sandy ground, and Jasmine landed on her feet. She could see Jafar lying on the ground several feet away from her, and she saw a furious snarl envelop his visage. From where he lay, Jafar unleashed several more bursts of red magical energy, but Jasmine dodged every blast.

Then Jasmine felt the sand beneath her begin to move. Suddenly an enormous mass of sand in the shape of a human hand burst from the ground and grabbed the princess. Then the sand hardened into solid rock, and Jasmine found herself completely trapped in the grip of a giant stone fist. As she struggled to no avail, Jafar approached, his face seething with rage.

"That was your last chance to be spared, princess," he growled. "Now you have wasted your opportunity. I am going to hurt you badly, princess, but I will make certain that you survive just long enough for Aladdin to see you die right before his eyes!"

Jafar's hand glowed red as he prepared to blast the trapped Jasmine at point-blank range. Jasmine, wide-eyed and breathless, recoiled in horror, certain that she was done for.

All of a sudden, the red-feathered form of Iago swooped down from the air and slammed his body into Jafar's arm, causing his energy bolt to misfire. Instead of hitting Jasmine, the red burst of lightening veered off course and struck the giant stone fist that was holding her in its grasp. The blast caused the stone fist to crumble, setting the princess free.

"Here, Jafar, go play blind man's bluff for a while!" Iago rasped as he grabbed Jafar's turban with his talons and yanked it down over Jafar's face. Iago then flew through the air, dodging a few energy blasts thrown by Jafar in a blind rage. As Jafar struggled to pull the turban from his face, Iago flew to Jasmine.

"Let's get outta here, princess!" he shouted. Jasmine nodded in agreement, and the two of them took off as fast as they could into the distance.

Jafar finally managed to pull the turban off his face and attempted to generate more magical energy, but found that he couldn't.

"Blast it!" he cursed. "Not now!" He snarled in frustration and fury as he tried in vain to conjure more magic. "I've exhausted my power. Now I must reenergize."

Jafar angrily looked out into the far distance of the desert landscape where Jasmine and Iago had fled. "I shall catch up with those two soon enough," he vowed.


	4. Chapter 4

Iago and Jasmine raced across the desert of Iago's mental plane until they were a considerable distance away from the spot where they had left Jafar. They finally stopped to catch their breath and ponder their next move. For her part, Jasmine was beaming with relief and gratitude.

"Iago, I can't thank you enough for what you did back there!" she said. "You saved me! I thought I was a goner for certain!" She happily grabbed the parrot and squeezed him tightly.

"Whoa! Easy, princess! Don't crush me!" Iago yelped. But he looked pleased nonetheless and told her, "I just had to do it. You were doing the same for me, fighting to protect me and everything. You really saved me first just by coming here. Really, Jasmine, you've made me so happy, and I couldn't just stand by and watch you get hurt."

"I knew you could fight your fears," Jasmine smiled. "And to think you thought that there was nothing you could do!"

"It actually feels kinda strange when I think about it," Iago said. "I'm so used to avoiding danger that whenever I get in a situation like this, it feels weird when I actually decide to fight the danger instead of run from it. And then after I've done it, I'm like, 'How the heck did I make myself do that?!' It's like I never thought I had it in me."

"Right, but you _do_ have it in you," Jasmine said. "Tell me, how did you know we would be able to escape?"

"Those years of hanging out with Jafar brought me a few advantages," Iago replied. "I became pretty familiar with his magical resources. I've seen Jafar use magic spells that gave him the power to use energy like he was using to fight us. I remembered that he often needed to regenerate his power after giving off a lot of that energy. So I figured we'd have a pretty good chance of catching him at a time where he had to stop fighting and go get more juice."

"Good thinking, Iago," Jasmine praised. "Now we know one of Jafar's key vulnerabilities. We should attack him now while he's still weaker."

"You're probably right," Iago nodded. "Princess, thanks for doing this for me."

"Don't mention it," Jasmine said. "You're my friend. And we're going to save Aladdin and our other friends as well."

All of a sudden, Iago tingled with an odd sensation. "Hey Jasmine!" he said. "I think my thoughts about what you said are finally going to pay off! I don't know why, but I have the feeling that Al's gonna be joining us!"

"Wonderful!" Jasmine said. "Did your mental communication finally work?"

"I think so," Iago said. "After I actually stood up to Jafar, everything we discussed made even more sense, and I felt stronger. Then I thought about how Aladdin is the reason that I've had a chance at a better life. Focusing on that connection with Al is making it easier to forget about being so terrified. If that doesn't get Al's attention, I don't know what will!"

* * *

In Agrabah's palace, Aladdin was asleep in his room, with Abu snoozing nearby. As Aladdin slept, his innate sense of responsibility and loyalty to Agrabah and to those dearest to him seemed to loom ever larger in his subconscious mind, drawing him into a mysterious state of thought. The sensation felt somewhere between thought and emotion, and it engulfed his subconscious with a power that beckoned him to give aid somewhere unknown. Appealing to his every essential moral instinct which had ever helped him to choose the path of being a hero, the unseen force took possession of Aladdin's astral being. As he rested, Aladdin allowed the enigmatic power to draw him deeply into its phantasmagoric embrace.

* * *

Aladdin soon became fully conscious once more as the mysterious phantom power seemed to release its ghostly hold on him. As he opened his eyes, he was dismayed to find himself standing in an unknown desert area with nothing but the moon and stars to light his way.

_What in the world is going on?_ he wondered. _And what was that funny feeling I just had?_

Then he looked across the dark sand dunes and spotted Jasmine making her way across the landscape, with Iago on her shoulder. Shocked, he immediately rushed in their direction.

"Jasmine!" he yelled as he ran. "Iago! What are you doing here?! Where are we?!"

Jasmine turned around in surprise, and her expression instantly changed to one of passionate, unadulterated joy.

"Aladdin!" she cried out. "You finally came!" She ran to him, with Iago flying close behind, and she embraced him with an amorous grip that would have put vine creepers of ivy to shame.

Aladdin was still confused. "Jasmine, is it really you?" he asked. "Or am I having some kind of very weird dream?"

"It's no dream, Aladdin!" Jasmine said breathlessly. "This is all real! We've needed you badly!"

"Yeah, we've got a big emergency here, Al!" Iago squawked. "An emergency of the Jafar-esque kind, I might add!"

"Jafar?!" Aladdin could hardly believe his ears, and he hoped that he had heard incorrectly. "What do you mean? Jafar's dead and gone!"

"We'll explain, Aladdin, just listen," Jasmine said. She and Iago quickly told Aladdin about the mental plane, Jafar's ghost, the threat to Iago's mind, and their previous skirmish with the dark sorcerer.

"Unbelievable," Aladdin breathed. "We've got to take down Jafar while he's still a ghost! And before he can harm Iago!"

"Yeah, I'm not too thrilled either about the prospect of being turned inside-out and having my mind and body disintegrated," Iago said. "It's been driving me crazy! And I'm just the appetizer, Al. Jafar wants _you_ most of all."

"I know," Aladdin sighed. "And he wants everyone close to me. But he's not going to get any of us! I know we can find a way to stop him."

Jasmine hugged Aladdin tightly. "I knew you'd come sooner or later, Aladdin," she breathed. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too," Aladdin said as he and the princess leaned toward each other's faces and brought their lips together.

"Uh, guys," Iago said. "I hate to interrupt you two when you're playing kissy-face and all, _but Jafar's gonna fry my brain if we don't do something soon!"_

"Right!" Aladdin agreed. "Let's go back where you two came after you first fought Jafar, and we'll follow all the signs of magical disturbances—earth tremors, flashing lights, everything. We'll find the spot where Jafar is casting his spell and empowering himself, and then we'll do everything we can to cut off his power."

"I hope we all paid our last life-insurance premiums, just in case," Iago muttered.

"Don't be afraid, Iago. Aladdin and I will be with you no matter what," Jasmine said. "And remember, this is your mind. If you can be as brave as you were before, we have a shot at cutting off Jafar's magic completely."

Then Jasmine put her hands on her hips. "Okay, boys, let's hurry up and send Jafar back to the boneyard for good!"

"Agreed!" Aladdin affirmed.

"I like the way you think, princess!" Iago grinned as he flew alongside the two adventurers as they rushed across the desert sand. They began to follow the sound of tremors and the flashes of strange light against the night sky. Iago was mentally praying that these spooky scenes wouldn't be the last things he would ever see.

* * *

After following the magical disturbances, the three companions finally came across a sight to behold. Peering out from behind a large sand dune, Aladdin, Jasmine and Iago saw a brilliant array of yellow light. The light was emanating from a floating golden ball of glowing radiance located between two large rocks protruding from the desert floor.

"It's pretty safe to say that that glowing ball probably has something to do with Jafar's magic spell to resurrect himself," Aladdin noted.

"Yeah, Jafar used to experiment with mystical spheres like that to siphon magic power," Iago said. "But somehow I don't think hitting that thing with a sword will do much good!"

"Right. I have something else in mind," Aladdin said. "Iago, you are the key to winning here. You have to use your own spirit to fight Jafar's magic. I know because I've been in a similar situation before."

Aladdin remembered the time that the evil sorcerer Mozenrath had attempted to take control of his spirit by attacking Aladdin from within his own mind. When Aladdin had battled Mozenrath on the psychic plane of his mind, he had discovered that his own soul possessed an inherent mystical power that was strong enough to repel Mozenrath's magic. Aladdin guessed that since they were now on the plane of Iago's psyche, Iago should be able to harness the power of his own spirit in the same way.

"When I was in a psychic reality, my own spirit gave me the power to protect myself," he told Iago. "Your spirit can do the same for you. No matter what magic Jafar has, he'll never be able to match your soul's power if you can make yourself use it."

Iago sighed. "A lot of good that'll probably do me. My soul's been tainted by evil. By my past service to Jafar. I wouldn't be surprised if my spirit is too filthy and disgusting to help me."

"That's not true, Iago," Jasmine interjected. "Your soul didn't just stay the way it was. It changed and evolved. And for the better, I'd wager."

"My soul says, 'Thanks for the vote of confidence,'" said Iago. "And boy am I gonna need all the confidence I can get!"

"We have to get closer to the ball of light," Aladdin said. "Maybe we can bury it and block its power."

"Not so fast, intruders!" boomed the imperious voice of Jafar from somewhere in the air. The heroes jumped and prepared to defend themselves.

"No point hiding anymore," Aladdin shrugged, trying his best to maintain his own cool and that of his companions.

"Aladdin!" Jasmine said. "Take this!" She handed him her sword, while she herself kept the spear. Aladdin took the sword and waited for what was coming.

The earth suddenly erupted with fire, and as the three comrades braced themselves, Jafar emerged from the flames and set his eyes directly on Aladdin.

"So the street rat has entered the astral realm," he said with fury in his voice. "I do not know how you came to be here, Aladdin, and I did not intend it, but I shall see that this ends in your nightmarish demise."

"Forget it, Jafar!" Aladdin shot back. "You should know by now that you can't beat us. I'm here to make sure you never live again to bother any of us!"

"Hah!" Jafar scoffed. "Headstrong as always, aren't you, Aladdin? You may have thwarted me in the past, but once Iago is destroyed, you and the princess will be as powerless as ants, because only I will control this mental plane!"

"Oh yeah?" Aladdin challenged. "Just try it!"

Jafar cast several blasts of lightening at Aladdin, while Aladdin dodged them or deflected them with his sword. Then Jafar had his snake staff materialize in one hand and projected flames from it, forcing Aladdin to duck behind some large rocks.

While Jafar was preoccupied with Aladdin, Jasmine and Iago crept closer to the glowing orb. "This orb is must be storing Jafar's magical energy," Jasmine said. "Iago, this is your chance. Stand up to Jafar without hesitation, and he'll start to lose power."

"But what if he flash-fries me before then?!" Iago cried.

"Trust me, we won't let that happen," Jasmine said. "Come on!" The two of them headed toward the ongoing battle outside of Jafar's field of vision. Jafar's focus was still on Aladdin.

"Is that the best you can do, Jafar?" Aladdin taunted. "Being in the grave must have made you rusty!"

"So!" Jafar snarled. "You dare to mock me, do you, boy?"

"Yup, I dare," Aladdin grinned.

As Jafar unleashed ever more powerful magic bolts in Aladdin's direction, Aladdin ducked behind a large dune. When the smoke from the energy bolts had cleared, Jafar could no longer see his opponent.

"Where are you, boy?!" he growled.

"Over hear, Jafar!" came Aladdin's voice from behind the sorcerer's back. Jafar spun around in the direction of Aladdin's voice and opened fire with his staff. But there was no one standing there. Instead, fluttering in the air above Jafar's head was Iago. He had imitated Aladdin's voice to draw Jafar's attention!

"Ha ha, Jafar!" Iago shouted. "You sure looked dumb when you fell for my voice trick!"

"Iago," Jafar hissed with hatred churning in his tone. "Your treachery against me comes to an end now!"

Jafar was about to burn the parrot to a crisp when a sharp, intense pain suddenly pierced the sorcerer's side. Howling in pain, Jafar stumbled backward as Jasmine jabbed her spear into his side. Jasmine knew the wound she had inflicted would not kill Jafar, since he was still highly charged with magic energy, but it was certainly enough to hurt him badly.

"That's for all the harm you've done, you slime bucket!" she said as she got in one last sharp jab into Jafar's body with the spear. Jafar recoiled as he struggled to recover himself using his magical energies and commanded fire to rain from the sky. Aladdin, Jasmine and Iago regrouped and did all they could to keep out of the way of the falling flames. When Jafar had managed to recover, he loomed over the three of them.

"The three of you have done more than enough to earn oblivion," he thundered. "Now you shall all feel the unsurpassed horror of total disintegration and—"

But as Jafar raised his arms to cast a new spell, nothing happened. Sparks appeared near Jafar's body, but they simply died and fell away.

"What is happening?!" Jafar said. "I can't possibly be out of power! Only now did I complete my regeneration!"

"It doesn't matter, Jafar," Iago said. "That resurrection spell is on the blink now."

"What are you babbling about, you obnoxious creature?!" Jafar sneered. "I have everything I need! Nothing can stop the spell!" But when he attempted to conjure his magic, nothing came of it. The golden orb that floated nearby like a glowing sun did not respond to any of his mental commands to utilize its energy!

"My powers!" Jafar exclaimed. "They're gone! But—it isn't possible!"

"You really think so, Jafar?" Iago rasped. "You forgot one important thing: This is my mind we're in. You're on my turf. I'm the one in control here if I can just keep control of myself. And guess what? I finally managed to do it, with the help of my two partners in crime here." He gestured toward Aladdin and Jasmine, who both stood right behind him.

"This is impossible!" Jafar shouted in rage. "Your mind was supposed to be vulnerable! You were supposed to be helpless—paralyzed with fear and self-doubt!"

"Maybe I was," Iago said. "You sure did everything you could to make me that way. But that was before I found it in me to stop being afraid of you and afraid of myself.

"You see these two here, Jafar? It's Aladdin and Jasmine, the people I was supposed to hate, along with everyone else you hated. You constantly lied to me, portraying good people as evil and making me think your evil was right. And I let you do it to me, like an idiot. But that's over now, Jafar. I've come to understand something you never could: All the power in the universe is worthless without friends. So no matter what power you have, you'll always be nothing but a cockroach, Jafar, because you stupidly decided to use it for evil. While you waste away in nothingness, I'm gonna go back to my life with the people I really care about, and who care for me in return. And I'm gonna be laughing at you every step of the way."

Aladdin and Jasmine could hardly believe that Iago had vocalized so much of his essential good nature—and they were filled with joy by it. Aladdin smiled to show how proud he was of the parrot, and Jasmine's bright eyes lit up with rapture as Iago's words touched a chord within her soul, confirming everything that she knew to be right and good.

"Looks like you lose again, Jafar," Aladdin said with a smug smile as he folded his arms.

"And you'd better get used to it," Jasmine added with a smirk of her own. "Without Iago's mind, your whole plan is useless. Which means you're just a dead scumbag who can't hurt us anymore."

"No!" Jafar raged. "I'm not beaten yet! I'm still here in Iago's mind, and you can't make me leave! I'll stay here until I fix this magic spell, and then you'll all be at my mercy!"

"Oh no, Jafar, you're leaving alright," Iago countered. "You're taking up space in my head, and now the landlord is about to serve you your eviction."

Iago then raised his arms and, to Jafar's shock, golden beams of magical energy rose from them. The magic powers from Iago's arms started to push Jafar backward, and he was unable to resist them.

"What trickery is this?!" Jafar sputtered. "When did you acquire such power, Iago?!"

"I've always had this power, Jafar," Iago said. "It's the power of my spirit, and it's finally taking charge around here. That's something else you never taught me. I learned it from these guys instead." Jasmine and Aladdin beamed happily.

"Jasmine, let's help Iago clean house," Aladdin suggested. "It just takes a little concentration."

"A fine idea," Jasmine affirmed sweetly. She and Aladdin raised their arms and were able to summon the power of the goodness contained within their souls, focusing it in the same direction as Iago's power. Rays of yellow-golden energy burst from their hands as well, and their energies united with Iago's energies to push Jafar and his evil spirit further backward toward the farthest reaches of the psychic world.

"No!" Jafar screamed. "Not again! I can't go back to being dead! I can't-!"

But Jafar's evil spirit was powerless to prevent this. Iago could feel the goodness of his own spirit overwhelming the evil he sensed emanating from his enemy. He could also feel the goodness of Aladdin's spirit, projecting the same loyalty and kindness that had led him introduce friendship to Iago in the first place. And he could feel the gentle compassion of Jasmine's spirit, combined with her fierce devotion to those she loved. All of this benevolent power, from the spirits of the three friends, pushed Jafar further into the atmosphere of the mysterious mental realm until it had banished his evil from Iago's mind. The atmosphere all around the three companions had been cleansed, and their joy danced in its midst.

* * *

Back in the palace, Iago awakened in his bed. He was still alive! Quickly, he flew out of his room and into the hallway, just in time to meet Aladdin and Jasmine. They too had awakened from their slumber and had run into the hallway. Their spirits had returned to their bodies from the astral realm and had brought them fully back into the physical world. Iago knew from their joyous expressions that they had indeed experienced everything he had, and that none of it had been a dream. Aladdin and Jasmine were practically dancing a merry jig in their rapture.

"Guys! Guys! We did it!" Iago squawked as he flew around the room in excitement.

"Oh Iago, I knew we would!" Jasmine cried happily. "What you did was absolutely wonderful!"

"She's right, Iago!" Aladdin affirmed. "You took control of your own mind again and made Jafar powerless to do anything. You showed him that you really do care!"

Jasmine hugged Iago and planted a kiss on his forehead, and then she embraced Aladdin as the two of them kissed together. Iago was so thrilled by this moment that he didn't even complain about all the mushy stuff.

At that moment, Abu came running into the hallway, for he had been awakened by all the commotion. Aladdin scooped Abu up in his arm as the monkey began chattering to inquire what was going on.

"We came back from quite a journey, Abu," Aladdin told him. "We had to deal with the ghost of Jafar." The mention of that name sent Abu into a screeching panic.

"Don't worry," Aladdin assured him. "He won't bother us again. And we have Iago to thank for that in large part."

"Yeah, you could say that," Iago said as he puffed himself up with pride. "You should have seen me, monkey boy! It was me and Jafar, mano a mano, going to the mat! First I gave him a left hook, and then I sent him tumbling with a right jab, and then I—!"

"Iago," Aladdin and Jasmine said at once, eyeing the parrot with amused skepticism.

"Just kidding, just kidding!" Iago said quickly. Turning back to Abu, he said, "I was able to send Jafar back to the grave where he belongs, because these two aces showed me that I really do have a family I can count on. It's because of Al and Jas that I'm alive now, and I'm just glad I was able to do the same for them today."

As Abu chattered happily in response, Jasmine drew Aladdin close with one arm, and scooped up Abu and Iago in her other arm. She brought them all close to her and gently enveloped the three of them in her embrace.

"I love each and every one of you," Jasmine said as she smiled radiantly. "I'm just so happy right now."

"You ain't the only one who's feeling the rush, princess!" Iago grinned.

* * *

Later that day, Genie and Carpet arrived back from the future, and they listened in amazement to the story told to them by Aladdin, Jasmine and Iago about how they had defeated Jafar's ghost in the mental world of Iago's psyche. The gang was later joined by Jasmine's father, the Sultan, and by her pet tiger Rajah. They too became engrossed in the thrilling, captivating story of how the goodness of a few souls was able to prevent the return of an evil menace.

All through this storytelling and conversation, Iago sat comfortably near Jasmine, resting his head against her gentle hand. Iago knew she had helped to save his soul as well as his sanity. So had Aladdin and all his other friends simply by being a part of his life. Iago knew, without doubt, that whatever future frustrations he encountered with his companions (and there were bound to be many!), he could always count on their undying friendship and love. Iago would never be plagued by Jafar's evil spirit again, or by the guilt that had haunted him for so long. He had a true family, and they would share with him all the wonderful moments that life had to offer. As far as Iago was concerned, that was a triumph that would remain with him his entire life and into the boundless reaches of eternal joy.

The End


End file.
